Work Shop 3000, Wow!

Finally broke out my Work Sharp 3000 and set it up last night. Worked on the blade of a Simmonds block plane I bought off the bay a few years ago. Ran through the four grits that were mounted out of the box to flatten the back, then installed the wide blade fixture and ran the bevel through the same four grits. then conditioned the leather wheel, mounted it, and charged it with buffing compound (actually think I over charged it,it was a little messy) and ran the back and bevel. Wow, was that blade sharp. I took a very wispy shaving off of some poplar. From reading here and elsewhere, I've come to the conclusion that my Simmonds block plane is so-so at best, but it was cutting good last night. Think my record block plane will be amazing once I sharpen it! I noticed that I had packed my dad's crappy Craftsman block plane in my air hammer bag last time I was doing some work up there, think I'll run it through and see how it works before I take it back.

I'm impressed with this thing. I'll be buying some of the Klingspor abrasive packs, a couple of more glass disks, and building a stand with some storage. Thinking I want the Work Sharp to always be setup and ready to go. If I discount the setup time, my initial fumbling around, reading the instructions, and did the back and bevel on each grit before changing to the next, I think I could run the whole blade in less than five minutes!

I'm sure a skilled sharpener and dedicated neanderthal could get a better edge with stones and know-how, but for someone whose use of hand tools supplements his normal power tool usage (is that a hybrid woodworker?), the Work Sharp is easy and convenient enough to use that I'll always have sharper tools.

Noticed that my dad had a wet grinder sitting on the shelf that hadn't seen use in a long time and was thinking of permanently borrowing it, think there is any place for that if the Work Sharp is going to be the go to tool for sharpening? I already have dual speed grinders, a Wolverine, and vari-grind for my wife's lathe chisels.

I agree with you Jerome. Look into the DMT Worksharp discs. THey last a lot longer and they have magnetic backings, so you don't have to unscrew the wheels to change. I can't find any reviews of those though. How about YOU try it out and tell me what you think? ;)

This is just the type of response that hand sharpening fans hate to hear ;). Used properly as you describe, I get a completely finished edge off the Worksharp for 99% of my work. Although I've made jigs for curved surfaces, they get the hand treatment before being called done. Chisels and plane irons do well right off the machine for the most part. Congrats.

I saw those on the Woodcraft site before I left work last night and it took a supreme effort of will not to swing by and nab them on the way home. Kept telling my self, try what you already have first. Glad you haven't tried them, a good review might have been more than my will power could stand. The magnetic deal explains the picture on Woodcraft. maybe I didn't read thoroughly, but I didn't get that from the description and was wondering about the metallic looking disk.

Just looked back, I didn't read thoroughly and I guess the Magna in the name was a big clue! Says you get two disks, 325 and 600 grit. The slightly cheaper honing kit has one 1200 grit disk. How do those grits compare to the sandpaper disks? I went through four grits last night, do the two diamond grits do the same job?

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Originally Posted by Prashun Patel

I agree with you Jerome. Look into the DMT Worksharp discs. THey last a lot longer and they have magnetic backings, so you don't have to unscrew the wheels to change. I can't find any reviews of those though. How about YOU try it out and tell me what you think? ;)

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The more I look into sharpening equipment, the more I think the Worksharp is a fantastic value. One Shapton water stone costs more than the Worksharp! Obviously the worksharp has a higher on-going cost since you have to replace the discs over time, but even then it would take a lot of sharpening before you'd get anywhere close to the cost of high end water stones.

I've posted this on WS threads before, but you gotta try these: http://www.woodworkingshop.com/cgi-b...onthsBetween=0

Just started using them myself and they are so much better than the WS brand papers.

Why is the Worksharp so effective?

Hand tool users should take note...I'm a big hand tool user and I DID take note.

The key is repeatable bevel angle...always. The hardest thing to do with stones (which I have and love), and grinding jigs like the Tormek (which I also have and love) is REPEATABILITY. Sharpening is a chore because if you're off a bit on your angle....even just a smidge...you are regrinding an enormous amount of metal that you DON'T NEED TO TOUCH. The Worksharp cracked the code, so to speak. The angle is easily repeatable, so every step, from rough grinding to final grinding, is precise and consistent. Precise = speed. Speed = not a chore anymore.

The leather hone, IMHO, is a failing. It should go upside down and be repeatable as well. It's too easy to round over and edge. The felt buff is the same. With technique, they both work amazingly well, but it takes a bit of touch. No biggie. I can sharpen and hone by hand but I'm practiced from years of hand sharpening. There's really no reason, though, why this should require practice. It's 2011. Sharpening should be a no-brainer. We have much better things to do with our time.

Anyhow, the same level of repeatability can be had with standard jigs and stones if you take the time to make some "projection jigs". I could give instructions here, but just check out some of the Lie Nielson videos on sharpening and you'll see how to make some simple jigs.

Freehand sharpening works fantastically well also, IF you have a very steady and practiced hand OR you have a hollow grind from your grinder.

Bottom line is that I really like my WorkSharp. I've had it for a while and for anything that fits into the port, it is an absolute time saver, especially if you're not a sharpening guru. Personally, I wish they would make a few, simple modifications so that I could simply and easily use it to hone EVERYTHING I own. Honestly, I would sell off all of my stones if they did.

They could even incorporate a honing jig on top of the Worksharp, and incorporate a simple projection jig there too (a'la Drill Doctor that's been doing this for MANY years) and turn it into the ultimate sharpening station for all of our chisels and planes. I don't really know why the haven't done this yet.

The Worksharp is really one of a handful of tools that I really love and recommend to lots and lots of people. It's just a no-BS tool that will get your chisels and block planes sharp with very little effort and fuss.

I've got a couple of packs of those on my short list.

[QUOTE=Dave Gaul;1775192]I've posted this on WS threads before, but you gotta try these:

Repeatability is definitely a major point, but so is speed. I know myself well enough that if it takes more than a few minutes to sharpen up a blade, then those sharpening sessions are going to be few and far between. I'm just not interested enough in the process to devote that kind of time, even if it is one big investment in time for the initial sharpening and much less to keep it touched up.

Maybe I wasn't supposed to, but I used the wide blade sharpening jig to do the bevel on the leather wheel, then did the back free hand. I have zero confidence in my ability at holding that angle without mechanical assistance, I found that out trying to touch up the edge on my wife's Thompson bowl gouge. Yea, Wolverine and Vari-grind! (preliminary yea, I don't have them mounted yet, but I have high hopes)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Coloccia

Why is the Worksharp so effective?

Hand tool users should take note...I'm a big hand tool user and I DID take note.

The key is repeatable bevel angle...always. The hardest thing to do with stones (which I have and love), and grinding jigs like the Tormek (which I also have and love) is REPEATABILITY. Sharpening is a chore because if you're off a bit on your angle....even just a smidge...you are regrinding an enormous amount of metal that you DON'T NEED TO TOUCH. The Worksharp cracked the code, so to speak. The angle is easily repeatable, so every step, from rough grinding to final grinding, is precise and consistent. Precise = speed. Speed = not a chore anymore.

The leather hone, IMHO, is a failing. It should go upside down and be repeatable as well. It's too easy to round over and edge. The felt buff is the same. With technique, they both work amazingly well, but it takes a bit of touch. No biggie. I can sharpen and hone by hand but I'm practiced from years of hand sharpening. There's really no reason, though, why this should require practice. It's 2011. Sharpening should be a no-brainer. We have much better things to do with our time.

Anyhow, the same level of repeatability can be had with standard jigs and stones if you take the time to make some "projection jigs". I could give instructions here, but just check out some of the Lie Nielson videos on sharpening and you'll see how to make some simple jigs.

Freehand sharpening works fantastically well also, IF you have a very steady and practiced hand OR you have a hollow grind from your grinder.

Bottom line is that I really like my WorkSharp. I've had it for a while and for anything that fits into the port, it is an absolute time saver, especially if you're not a sharpening guru. Personally, I wish they would make a few, simple modifications so that I could simply and easily use it to hone EVERYTHING I own. Honestly, I would sell off all of my stones if they did.

They could even incorporate a honing jig on top of the Worksharp, and incorporate a simple projection jig there too (a'la Drill Doctor that's been doing this for MANY years) and turn it into the ultimate sharpening station for all of our chisels and planes. I don't really know why the haven't done this yet.

The Worksharp is really one of a handful of tools that I really love and recommend to lots and lots of people. It's just a no-BS tool that will get your chisels and block planes sharp with very little effort and fuss.

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Repeatability IS speed. I think you did just right using a jig to hone on the leather wheel. The only problem I have honing the back freehand is that it's very easy to introduce a back bevel. This is no big deal on plane irons (until you run into clearance issues....but if you're close, you're good). On chisels, a back bevel will absolutely kill you and make the chisel all but useless for precision work. I'm very cautious honing the back of my chisels on the Worksharp. There's some serious potential for problems there...you need to be awake.

This is also why I removed the sandpaper from the sharpening port. That will slowly introduce a back bevel on your chisels unless you're very vigilant. I hone the back of my chisels on a Spyderco UltraFine stone (a stone highly recommended to me by George Wilson, and frankly it's the only stone Spyderco makes that actually comes reasonably flat. He's 100% on the money, as usual).

Anyhow, I think you're echoing my sentiments. Clearly I didn't explain myself well. I agree with you 100%. It's all about SPEED.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jerome Hanby

Yea, Wolverine and Vari-grind! (preliminary yea, I don't have them mounted yet, but I have high hopes)

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Um, if you think the WS is good at flat tools, just wait until you get yr turning tips on the Vari-grind. Now THAT's what I call easy.

I was embellishing not disagreeing, if it's not repeatable (or requires some dexterity on my part) then it's not going to happen. Thanks for the heads up on the chisels. That stone is about $72 bucks at WC, but that may be going on my short list...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by John Coloccia

Repeatability IS speed. I think you did just right using a jig to hone on the leather wheel. The only problem I have honing the back freehand is that it's very easy to introduce a back bevel. This is no big deal on plane irons (until you run into clearance issues....but if you're close, you're good). On chisels, a back bevel will absolutely kill you and make the chisel all but useless for precision work. I'm very cautious honing the back of my chisels on the Worksharp. There's some serious potential for problems there...you need to be awake.

This is also why I removed the sandpaper from the sharpening port. That will slowly introduce a back bevel on your chisels unless you're very vigilant. I hone the back of my chisels on a Spyderco UltraFine stone (a stone highly recommended to me by George Wilson, and frankly it's the only stone Spyderco makes that actually comes reasonably flat. He's 100% on the money, as usual).

Anyhow, I think you're echoing my sentiments. Clearly I didn't explain myself well. I agree with you 100%. It's all about SPEED.

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Thank god. It's bad enough when I mess up my tools, no way I want to mess up her turning chisels...especially after I took two years to get her lathe stand built.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Prashun Patel

Um, if you think the WS is good at flat tools, just wait until you get yr turning tips on the Vari-grind. Now THAT's what I call easy.

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The WS3000 has made chisel and plane work so . . . ooo much more enjoyable for me.

I used to put off sharpening my chisels until they just wouldn't cut at all - that's how much I hated sharpening them.

Now I get kind of giddy when cleaning up a mortise because my chisels are so stinking sharp all the time. A total pleasure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Gaul

I've posted this on WS threads before, but you gotta try these: http://www.woodworkingshop.com/cgi-bin/020F233E/mac/additmdtl.mac/showItemDetail?item=SD06199&qtyA=0&phsO=N&desc=6"X 1%2F2" CENTER HOLE STEARATE PSA 25PK&drpshp=N&alOrd=Y&iQty=.000&oQty=.000&initQty= 1&assortParent=K&itemForSale=Y&styleName=&fixD=&fa ce=.00&gftc=&stck=Y&prefS=&calledFrom=DS&ordInfo1= &ordInfo2=&ordInfo3=&ordMan1=N&ordMan2=N&ordMan3=N &persCode=&persReqd=&persLink= &shipRemaining=0&daysBetween=0&daysBetweenFix=0&mo nthsBetween=0


Just started using them myself and they are so much better than the WS brand papers.

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Thanks Dave. This is now on my short list also!!! I LOVE a great deal:)